On the Pilgrimage
by Absolut Emai
Summary: *Chapter 10 up! Huzzah!* Tidus tries his hand at poetry, and what ensues is a breathtaking adventure that will split your sides... and warm your heart. (Aawww.)
1. Your beautiful, crunchy eyelids

On the Pilgrimage  
  
By me ^^  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFX, any of its characters (well, I do own Auron) or town names, blah blah blah you know the drill.  
  
~*~  
  
"As, gracefully as the wind, you twirl around, I can't take my eyes off of you. Your hair is like..." Tidus rested his chin in his hand and gazed pensively at the Moonflow. Suddenly, his face lighted up with inspiration. "Cinnamon. Your eyes are like... two little round disks, one green and one blue."  
  
Tidus's poetic thought process was interrupted as Auron's gravelly, deep voice gave him a jolt of surprise.  
  
"So," he said as he sat down next to the young blitzball star, "You like Yuna?"  
  
For a moment, all the blood drained from his face. Stuttering, he replied, "H-have you been reading over my... my shoulder?!?!"  
  
Auron chuckled. "You admit to it?"  
  
"No, no, no, that's not it at all!!!" Silence lingered between the two for a few seconds. Looking down, Tidus quietly said, "Well... I do, kinda."  
  
"You do act different when she's around. Your eyes never leave her face."  
  
"It's that obvious???" His face went from cold and white to beet-red in a matter of seconds.  
  
Ignoring him, Auron reached his hand out. "May I see your paper?"  
  
"I- I guess." Tidus wasn't about to resist the powerful, intimidating guardian. He shakily handed over his poem.  
  
" 'Your lips are like cherries; I love how you dance; those weird little fly thingies add to your splendor; your black bra is as black as...' You never were the poetic type."  
  
Tidus sighed. "I don't know how to let her know how I feel. I never get to talk with her in private."  
  
"You'll get your chances."  
  
As Auron stood up to leave, Tidus added one more thing. "By the way, Auron... we never had this conversation." Without replying, the guardian strolled back to the campfire.  
  
Lying on his back, Tidus pondered on the nature of Spira. The way monsters floated away when you killed them, about the farplane, and other things. But no matter what he wondered, his mind kept traveling back to one thought: How does Lulu keep her dress from falling when she bends over to cast spells? How does she keep it from falling in the first place?  
  
"Heads up!"  
  
Tidus, with his superhuman reflexes, sat up just in time for Wakka's blitzball to hit him square in the back of his head. "Wakka!!!! What was that for?!?!"  
  
"No time to be napping, ya? Dinner's ready!"  
  
Grumbling and complaining, Tidus chased Wakka back to the camp site. He did not notice, however, the wrinkled scrap of paper floating to the ground, nor did he notice Yuna picking it up and examining it.  
  
Covering her hand with her mouth, she exclaimed, "Oh!!! Lulu, come look at this!!!"  
  
~*~  
  
Dundundun! Will Yuna guess who wrote it? Will Auron spill the beans? Will Tidus admit his feelings to Yuna? Will I continue? Only if you tell me what you think! 


	2. Oh my goodness gracious! Come hither, Lu...

Chapter 2 is here! Tell all your family and friends!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Aren't those things so annoying?  
  
~*~  
  
"Lulu, come quick!!!"  
  
Lulu walked over and folded her arms across her chest. Tilting her head slightly, she coolly said, "Yuna, we must get to dinner. The others are waiting." With that, she walked ahead to the others.  
  
Yuna shook her head. Her face flushed as she read what was on the paper over and over again. "This... poetry. I wonder who wrote it?" Though she refused to admit it, in the back of her mind Yuna was wondering if it was indeed poetry, or a babbling rant written by some stalker. Regaining her composure, she walked over to the campsite where the others were eating roast chicken and potatoes.  
  
"Oh-hohoho! Look who's finally here!" Wakka shook a drumstick at Yuna. "Chicken's probably frigid by now, ya? Well, eat up!"  
  
All during dinner, nobody spoke. Each person was concerned with his or her own thoughts. Kimahri and Lulu contemplated on the pilgrimage and temples to come. Auron tossed the idea of telling Yuna about Tidus around in his mind. Tidus watched Yuna, and thought about how beautiful she was ("Oh, that delicious cinnamon hair... those purty eyes..."), while she concentrated on her chicken, puzzling over who could've written that awful prose. Wakka, on the other hand, thought about chicken and noodle soup.  
  
"Mmm... warms up the soul," he mused as he gnawed on his chicken bone.  
  
After dinner, Yuna approached Lulu and whispered in her ear. "I have to... to show you something." With her nod of assent, Yuna led her over to a clearing in the nearby forest.  
  
"I found this piece of paper..."  
  
As Lulu's eyes passed over the scrawled letters, her expression turned not to one of puzzlement or amazement, but rather to one of amusement. Her lips curled into a gentle smirk. Looking up at Yuna, she said, "Isn't it a bit obvious who wrote this?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Just how many Spirans do you know that write poetry like this?"  
  
"Nobody... that I know of..."  
  
"I'll let you figure this one out." She turned her back to Yuna and headed for the campsite to clean up the mess Wakka made with the plates. Of course she knew it was Tidus. In Zanarkand, poetry was probably a thing of the past. They didn't need it; it was incomprehensible and pointless. But it seemed so romantic, Tidus just had to give it a try. Besides, the chemistry between the two was obvious. "Now to figure out why Tidus keeps staring at my chest...." she pondered.  
  
"What do you mean, Lulu? Wait! I don't understand..."  
  
Lulu called over her shoulder, "You will sometime."  
  
Yuna sat down on a tree stump in a huff. "Of course it's not Kimahri or Sir Auron... Sir Auron? No... Wakka is like a big brother to me, so it can't be him... can it? It just can't be Tidus... He doesn't feel that way about me at all, and we just met a few weeks ago. But, oh, that cute cocky smile... the way he stands like he's the king of the world... those handsome, honest eyes..." Yuna gave a wistful sigh. "He's just always so happy... so upbeat. I wonder how he does it? If it's not him, then..." Jumping up with a start, her mouth gaped wide open. She shouted at the top of her lungs for the whole of Spira to hear...  
  
"Isaaru!!!"  
  
~*~  
  
Heh heh heh. Sorry it was kinda short...  
  
Wow, I have a newfound love of writing half-hearted semi-romance! It's so fun! Then I read over my work and LAUGH!!! Life is sweet. So sweet.  
  
Chapter 3 coming to stores near you! If you review, that is... I'm not continuing till I get 879324 reviews!!! AHAHAAHAAHAAAAAA!!! Cower before my devastating strength! I OWN YOU!!!!!! 


	3. Just between us guys

Chapter 3 is up, hooray! Sing in exultant joy and RAPTURE, dammit!  
  
~*~  
  
Panting and heaving, Yuna ran back to camp as fast as her legs could carry her. "Lu,...lu," she gasped, breathlessly, "I... I... know... I know who it is!!!"  
  
Lulu, who was sitting on a log and staring at the fire, lost in her own thoughts, didn't even look at Yuna. Turning her head only slightly, she replied somewhat half-heartedly, "Oh? Who is it, then?"  
  
She overlooked her friend's aloofness, lost in the heat of the moment. You could almost see the wispy puffs of steam rising from her ears as she demanded, "It's Isaaru, isn't it?!?!"  
  
"Mmm-hmm," she answered, absently poking at the firewood with a stick.  
  
"What am I going to do?" Yuna slumped down next to Lulu. She wanted to know what Lulu knew. She wanted answers.  
  
Finally losing patience, Lulu turned her head to face Yuna, her one visible ruby eye flashing. "Yuna, calm down. We're here to REST."  
  
Frustrated, Yuna sighed and gazed into the fire, resting her chin in her hand. "Isaaru, Isaaru... I can't believe you!!!" She cursed silently. She refused to admit it to herself, but at that very moment she was beginning to think differently about those handsome brown eyes, his warm friendly smile... Deep down inside, she was hoping to see him at Guadosalam, their next stop. "I... I can maybe talk to him then. Who knows, maybe Pacce did that to me as a joke?" She shrugged off the whole ordeal, and her mind wandered to other things. "Pink puffy shoopufs and squirrels eating chicken, bright woolly mammoths and raindrops on kittens..." she sang quietly to herself. "How did that song go again???"  
  
Lulu, on the other hand, was gazing wistfully at the fire, drowning in happy memories past.  
  
"Hey, Lu!" The image of Chappu greeting her at the beach was as fresh in her mind as it had ever been. She smiled grimly as she remembered the way he would wave enthusiastically every time he saw her, as if they hadn't been around each other for years. Kind of like Tidus, in an odd way... she pondered. "  
  
"Chappu."  
  
"Hey, you don't need to be so grouchy, ya?" Chappu... you were so much like your brother. And yet... there was something about you, that made you so different..... so unique. I loved you so much. I wish I had told you that, before you became a Crusader... before... you...  
  
You always said I looked grouchy...  
  
But those were the happiest days of my life.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Tidus sat on the edge of a small cliff, looking at the dazzling Moonflow. He watched intently as the pyreflies floated upwards, then glided back down like... "Like fireflies," he thought. "Oh, I get it! Wonder who thought that one up?"  
  
Suddenly, Wakka ran over and plopped down next to him. "Hey, I found you, ya?! Can never hide from Wakka the Great, hear me, brudda?" he proudly announced as he thumbed his chest, tossing his head back.  
  
"It's so beautiful," Tidus commented thoughtfully, a side of him not many people had the chance to see.  
  
"Ya, I'm glad you convinced Auron to let us stay the night. He's a tough negotiator, ya? Well, it's worth it, even if we do have to wake up at the crack of dawn tomorrow, eh brudda?"  
  
"Mmm..."  
  
Wakka rubbed the back of his neck, somewhat embarrassed. "Yuna's been acting funny lately, ya?"  
  
This quickly grabbed Tidus's attention. He whipped his head and looked Wakka in the eye, at which he couldn't help but grin. "What do you mean?!?!"  
  
"Oh-ho-ho-ho, someone's getting a bit worked up, ya?"  
  
"How is Yuna acting funny?"  
  
"Haven't you noticed? Her face is pale as a baby shoopuf, and she's been scurrying all around the camp. She seems worried about something. Sounds fishy, if you ask me, ya?"  
  
Tidus absently stuck his hands into his pockets. His face drained when he noticed that they were empty. He shuffled his hands around, desperate to find his poem, but his heart sank when he finally realized that it wasn't there, it just wasn't there. "No..."  
  
"Something the matter?"  
  
Okay, Tidus thought, Why not? He decided to give it straight to Wakka. Turning his entire body towards him, he explained in his most serious voice, "Wakka, what I am about to tell you is NOT to be told to ANYONE."  
  
This has got to be juicy, ya? "Your secret's safe with me, brudda."  
  
Tidus sighed deeply. "Okay," he began, "I love Yuna."  
  
"Oh-ho-ho-ho-"  
  
--"And I wanted to let her know how I feel about her, so I wrote her a poem. I put it in my pocket, and was going to give it to her sometime... after dinner, maybe. The only problem is, I don't have it anymore."  
  
"That's not good, ya?"  
  
"I think I dropped it somewhere, and if she really is acting funny, that probably means she read it."  
  
Wakka was stunned at Tidus's apparent spark of intelligence. "So what are you going to do? Who knows about this?"  
  
"Only you and Auron."  
  
"You told AURON? You're in trouble now, ya?"  
  
"Auron isn't one to tell secrets. I think I'm going to talk to him this evening or tomorrow morning, the sooner the better. I don't want Yuna getting ideas..."  
  
"Better not tell Kimahri. He would not be happy, and you listen to me brudda, you do NOT want to get a Ronso not happy."  
  
"So it's just between us guys?" He held out his hand tentatively.  
  
Wakka grinned. He took Tidus's hand and shook it vigorously.  
  
"Just between us guys."  
  
~*~  
  
I TOLD you it was Humor/ROMANCE, and that gives me an excuse to write about Chappu! Yay! Poor Lulu. More semi-romance and LOTS of plot-thickening to come! Boo-ya!  
  
Hey, you know what is an AWESOME song (in my opinion)? "Gilgamesh", from FF5. That is so awesome. Snazzy! Go download it, just a cheap MIDI file will do! Me wuv!  
  
Thank you for your time, and REVIEW! This might actually become a serious fic! Serious in the sense that I actually spend time developing the plot and feelings between the characters. Tips are always welcome! 


	4. Oh what a beautiful mooorrrninnnggg

My tummy hurts from laughing. Ask Mobius Shadow, he'll verify it! Oooh... ouch.  
  
Chapter 4 is up, tra-la, tra-la, tra-la!!!  
  
(During the first scene, try to imagine the song "Morning Mood" softly playing in the background. That's from Peer Gynt, Kevin. Remember all the swans I drew on my divider while listening to it? Yep, it's that song.)  
  
~*~  
  
The day's first crimson-gold beams of sunlight danced over Auron's relaxed face. Leaning against a large rock in peaceful repose, his one eye gradually pried itself open. He was greeted with a splendid display of light, Mother Nature's palate dazzling him with her vivid shades of orange, red, yellow, and blue flitting across the magnificent sky. Auron stood up and stretched his right arm high above his head, then rotated his shoulder around to loosen it up.  
  
"What a beautiful morning," he thought aloud to himself. "And what better excuse is there for waking the others up at this unholy hour?"  
  
Auron quietly strolled down the path a ways to the moonflow. Stooping down, he looked all around to make sure nobody was watching him before scooping up some water in his hands. Taking care not to spill any of it, he made his way back to where the others were sleeping.  
  
Being notoriously serious and rugged, Auron's occasional sense of humor went unnoticed by many and forgotten altogether by everyone else. He was no fool, however, and knew a perfect opportunity when he saw one. Walking over to Tidus, who was sleeping in a bed of dry leaves back-to-back with Wakka, he poised his cupped hands directly over his head.  
  
"One screaming, sputtering apple wakes up the entire barrel," he announced to nobody in particular before ruthlessly dumping the water on Tidus's face.  
  
"Aah!!! Pooah, ptooey! Blecch!" Tidus choked and coughed loudly. "It went ub by nose!!! Why did yoo do dat?" he said, clutching his nose and glaring at Auron.  
  
Auron couldn't help but chuckle at the pathetic sight of the young man writhing around in a pile of dirt and leaves. Tidus's groans and cries very soon had the entire group awakened.  
  
"What's so funny?!?!"  
  
Auron paused just long enough to say, "You," before breaking into whole- hearted laughter, soon joined by Wakka, Yuna, Lulu, and even Kimahri, who growled amusedly. They didn't seem to mind waking up at 5:30 in the morning when such a performance was provided for them upon awakening.  
  
Tidus just sat there and glared at each and every guardian, blushing when his eyes met those of Yuna, who just couldn't control her near-hysterical laughter. She saw him throw a glance at her, and all of a sudden felt very guilty and tried to reduce her merriment to a giggle. Covering her mouth with both hands, she averted her eyes and struggled to think of sad things; Sin, death, destruction, broken hearts, anything to make her shut up before Tidus hated her forever. After recovering somewhat, she stole a glance back up at Tidus, who was trying to sling dirt at Auron. At that she just broke, and collapsed onto her side in fits of side-splitting laughter.  
  
After about five minutes of utter chaos, the group finally settled down, and Tidus dried off. They would not soon forget that morning, and even Auron was wiping away traces of tears. Putting on his serious, down-to- business face once more, he slung his sword over his shoulder and addressed the group.  
  
"We have a long day ahead of us. The shoopuf is ready and we have five minutes to get down there. Hurry up," he said, and with that he walked off toward the shoopuf station. Kimahri followed close behind. Yuna and Lulu left next, Yuna leaning on Lulu's shoulder, her sides sore from laughing so hard.  
  
Wakka pat Tidus on the back. "It happens to the best of us, ya?" He said sympathetically.  
  
Tidus sighed. "Yeah, I guess," he said.  
  
Standing up and heading after the others, Wakka turned back and grinned at Tidus. "You gotta admit, brudda, it was pretty hilarious when you slipped and fell in the mud."  
  
"Why you little-!"  
  
Scrambling onto his feet, Tidus started after Wakka and chased him like a madman all the way to the station. A new day awaits...  
  
~*~  
  
Silly Tidus.  
  
This wasn't the most... productive chapter I've written in my life, but hey, it gets things moving sort of. Things will happen soon, I promise!!! R&R, and I would love writing tips, but NOT suggestions on what should happen in the story. This is MY story!  
  
Every story must have an ending, as every story must have a pointless chapter. Fight the power!!! 


	5. We gonna ride da shoopuf!

Chapter 5 is for happy people!  
  
After you're done with this, why not check out "Past Love" or "Field Trip! First Adventure" by Malathyne? It's not as if we have lives anyway (I mean, really, why are you reading THIS?). IT'S THE SPIRAL OF DEATH! RUN! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! I SEE THE LIGHT! WHHEEEEEEEEE! AURON'S HERE IN HEAVEN TOO!!! Yum!  
  
Er... sorry 'bout that.  
  
~*~  
  
Wakka bent over and cupped his knees, panting and heaving. Tidus ran up next to him and leaned back to get a good look at this enormous creature looming over them.  
  
"We're going to be RIDING that thing?" he asked in disbelief.  
  
"It's called a shoopuf," Wakka explained. "It's gonna carry us across the Moonflow, and from there, we movin' on to Guadosalam. Pretty amazing, ya?"  
  
"Yeah..." Tidus muttered. His gaze turned to Yuna, who was negotiating with the shoopuf driver. She's so beautiful, he thought. I won't let anything happen to you, Yuna. You're safe with me... And when this pilgrimage is over, we can go to my Zanarkand! Promise!  
  
Yuna bowed to the gentleman, then turned and approached Tidus and Wakka. She nervously tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and looked up at the two.  
  
"I... I was able to arrange for only... 300 gil," she said with a weak smile.  
  
"Then let's go, ya?" Wakka said before dashing off in his goofy loping gait, Yuna following close behind. Tidus hesitated and looked once again at the gigantic creature.  
  
A tall, red figure silently walked up to his side. He, too, looked up at the shoopuf. "When your father and I were on the pilgrimage..." he began, "he got drunk when we were staying here, and slaughtered a mother shoopuf in blind rage. Braska and I had to compensate with every single coin that we had earned." Tidus looked down at his feet. He seethed Jecht with a renewed passion, but kept his anger to himself. He still didn't understand much... then again, none of this made much sense.  
  
"My old man..."  
  
"Come. They're waiting."  
  
Auron led Tidus up the steps onto the back of the shoopuf. Everyone took a seat in the boxed enclosure. Kimahri and Auron took one seat, Lulu and Yuna the next, and Tidus and Wakka kicking back in benches of their own. They rode along quietly, Wakka's snoring occasionally breaking the peaceful silence. Yuna closed her eyes, thankful for this rare chance to rest, when all of a sudden...  
  
~*~  
  
Dundundun! Sorry dudes, you know how it goes. It was kind of a short chapter, but then again how many people read this stuff on Sunday evening? The next chapter is already in the works. Hmm... my Author's Notes take up almost as much space as the story itself.  
  
Don't worry, Yunis and MAYBE Wakku fluff ahead! Be patient! So review and the chapters will come quicker than ever! Er, if you want, that is. 


	6. That was close, ya?

Yuna closed her eyes, thankful for this rare chance to rest, when all of a sudden...  
  
  
  
  
  
"BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRPPPP!!!!!!!" Wakka's mighty roar rang out loud and clear. "Phew, shouldn'ta had so much chicken last night, ya?"  
  
Little did anybody notice the dark figure creeping up behind Yuna...  
  
"AAAAHmphffphffmmm!!!" she squealed as a gloved hand covered her mouth, muffling her cries. Before anybody had time to react, she was pulled off of the shoopuf and into the murky waters with a *kerSPLASH*.  
  
"Yuna!"  
  
Tidus practically flew to her seat to look over the side of the box. Wakka scrambled to his feet and pushed up next to him, and their eyes darted frantically over the water, searching. Soon, Wakka's eyes narrowed and he glared with utter hatred. He pointed to a darkened blotch in the water:  
  
"Look!" he hissed. "It's a machina, ya? The Al Bhed!!!"  
  
"We've got to do something!" Lulu pleaded.  
  
"No worries," growled Wakka.  
  
Tidus punched the air with fury. "We're coming, Yuna!!!" he said before diving off the shoopuf with Wakka.  
  
Frantically, the two kicked through the water as hard as they could, finally approaching the machina. Wakka motioned to Tidus to be careful, but Tidus was blinded with anger, and heedlessly charged at the machine, darting back and forth repeatedly and slashing as he swam. After six well- placed hits, he plunged the Brotherhood into the complicated wiring mechanisms. Withdrawing to the battle line with Wakka, he doubled over in pain from his strenuous berserk attack.  
  
"Wow, didn't know you were in Overdrive, brudda." Wakka said to himself. "Well, praise be to Yevon for lightningstrike," he thought, and hucked his charged blitzball with all his might.  
  
The strange machine jerked a bit and sparked, jolting Tidus and Wakka in a burst of pure electricity. Wakka, realizing the danger they were in, seized Tidus around the waist and dragged him onto the shoopuf.  
  
Once they were safely back in their seats, Tidus pulled away from Wakka's grasp to peer over again.  
  
"She's on the shore!" He pointed to Yuna, who was lying face-down on the muddy banks.  
  
*****  
  
Tidus leapt off of the shoopuf's back and dashed to Yuna's side. He crouched down and shook her shoulder, worry written all over his face.  
  
"Yuna!" He turned her over. "Yuna!!! You have to wake up!!!" The knot tightening up in Tidus's throat threatened to leap out of his chest. His eyes began to fill with tears and burn as he watched her just lie there, motionless and lifeless. What if she didn't wake up? What if... she... no! You can't...  
  
Yuna slowly and laboriously lifted her eyelids. The black nothingness that was clouding her sight slowly dissipated, and Tidus's yellow sneakers began to focus into view.  
  
"Ugh..."  
  
She turned herself over and sat up. Lazily sweeping her hair back with her fingers, she gazed up at him. She asked, dazed, "What... happened?"  
  
Tidus blinked away the tears that were just begging to spill out from sheer joy. "Are you alright?!?!"  
  
"I'm... fine..."  
  
"Oh... ugh." Not too far off, a small person slowly rising to her feet caught Tidus's eye. She was wearing an orange, full-body suit, wearing goggles, and completely covered in mud. Tidus slowly and cautiously got up and approached the strange girl, Yuna following close behind. He watched, perplexed, as she peeled off her suit, revealing a tight-fitting orange shirt and green shorts, and lowered her goggles. Flipping her hair back, she rubbed the back of her head in pain and moaned.  
  
"You...?! Rikku!!!" Tidus grinned at the Al Bhed girl.  
  
"That really hurt, you know!!!" She giggled and smirked at Tidus. "You big meanie!"  
  
Wakka galloped up to them. "So you're all friends already, ya?"  
  
Yuna smiled and nodded her head. "This is my cousin."  
  
Beaming, Rikku cheerfully extended her hand to Wakka. "Pleased to meet you! I'm Rikku. And you are?"  
  
She's awful cute, ya? Wonder how old she is... "I'm Wakka. You look a little beat up, you okay?"  
  
Smart... you beat me up, ya know? Well, that's okay. "I'm fine, just a little scratch, that's all!" Mmm... he's a hunk, though.  
  
Lulu called from the disembarking area, "What are you doing???"  
  
Wakka placed his hand on Rikku's shoulder reassuringly. "Come with me, you can meet the others, ya?" He and Rikku dashed away to the others, while Tidus and Yuna walked together, talking along the way.  
  
"You feeling better?"  
  
"Y-Yes."  
  
"Yuna..." Tidus rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I'm alone with her..." he thought.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I, um... I..." he stumbled over his words. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't say it. Yuna looked into his eyes expectantly, not quite sure about what he was trying to say but obviously needing to hear it.  
  
"I'm really glad you're safe..." he grinned sheepishly at her.  
  
Yuna smiled gently. "You're a good guardian, you know."  
  
His heart fluttered, and it felt light as a feather, hearing Yuna praise him like that. He planted his hands on his hips and chuckled. "Just try telling that to Auron. Hah!"  
  
Tidus looked ahead to the group, and saw Wakka enthusiastically introducing Rikku to the others.  
  
"Wakka sure has taken to Rikku, hasn't he?"  
  
Yuna giggled. "They would look so cute together, don't you agree?"  
  
Tidus smiled grimly. "Yeah..."  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
That was an odd way to end the chapter. Deal with it! I'm just starting, the reason this and the last chapter were so boring was cuz I had to get Rikku in there, a-duh!!! Doncha worry, stuff will happen! Soon... 


	7. He's right there, why doncha ax?

Yay! Chapter 7!  
  
****Later that day****  
  
Wakka twirled his blitzball on his index finger, his left hand resting on his hip. "This one's easy, ya?" he boasted before punting the flaming sphere at the "flying bat-monster-eyeball-thing," as Tidus liked to call it. The creature fell, squirming and flailing it's thin wings, to the ground, and burst into pyreflies that rose lazily into the orange sky. Wakka proudly tucked his blitzball under his arm and puffed out his chest. Stealing a glance to his left, he noticed Rikku gazing admiringly at him. "I'm good, ya?" he said in his heavy Besaidian accent while nodding to her.  
  
Rikku giggled at this, and chirped, mimicking him, "These guys got nuthin' against us, ya?"  
  
"Ya!"  
  
"Ya?!?!"  
  
"Ya!"  
  
"YA?!!"  
  
"YA!!!" They cried in unison before doubling over in fits of laughter. Lulu raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing of it and returned to the others, leaving Wakka and Rikku to their odd little game.  
  
Cocking her head, she said coolly, "So. What now?"  
  
"I'm hungry," Tidus whined.  
  
"Grow up. We've a long road ahead of us," scolded Auron.  
  
"Urgh."  
  
"Every minute sleeping is another two minutes walking."  
  
"It's beginning to get dark," Yuna said delicately.  
  
"What about you, Kimahri?" Tidus asked.  
  
Kimahri growled deep in his throat. "Yuna decide. Yuna's pilgrimage."  
  
"I think we should rest." She said, bowing slightly.  
  
"So who's up for cooking?" asked Lulu.  
  
"Kimahri cook Ronso Surprise. Others rest."  
  
"Thanks, bud!" Tidus reached up, patted his shoulder and ran over to Wakka and Rikku, the only two there that could speak his lingo.  
  
****While dinner was being prepared!****  
  
Yuna struggled with her flint and steel, striking again and again over the pile of dried leaves. The most she could get was a small spark, and try as she might she just couldn't get it to catch.  
  
"Need me?" Lulu said complacently as she strolled up next to Yuna.  
  
Standing up, Yuna rubbed her sore hands. "Do you think you could help?"  
  
"You seem to forget," she said as she cast a small Fire spell on the pile, lighting it up like tissue paper. "I AM a black mage."  
  
Yuna slapped her forehead and rested a hand on her hip. "Oh, I- I... um, I just... er..."  
  
Shaking her head, Lulu said, "Don't worry about it." She sat down on a large rock. "You wanted to talk?"  
  
She nodded shakily and sat down next to her, whipping out the poem from yesterday and holding it for her to see.  
  
"Do you really think it's Isaaru?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean... the handwriting..." She pointed at the barely-legible scrawl. "I thought that Isaaru... would have better penmanship, you know?"  
  
"Why don't you ask him? He's right there," Lulu said, pointing at the young man jesting with his guardians a short distance away from camp.  
  
"Oh!" Yuna's face flushed a deep shade of red. (A/N: They seem to do that a lot in this story. 0_o) "I... I guess..."  
  
"Now's as good a time as any."  
  
Yuna nodded. "I- I... you're right." Standing up, she straightened out the wrinkles in her skirt and, picking up the note, started over towards Isaaru.  
  
Auron stealthily and silently walked up next to Lulu. "What is Yuna doing? Dinner is almost ready," he said in his gravelly, deep (A/N: and unbearably sexy!) voice.  
  
"Nothing of importance," she replied without looking at him.  
  
Shrugging, Auron was about to turn away when he noticed a familiar-looking piece of paper in Yuna's hand. "The poem..." he said under his breath.  
  
This caught Lulu's attention. "Hmm?"  
  
"Nothing." He turned and started to head back to help Kimahri with dinner.  
  
"You know about Tidus's poem?"  
  
Auron froze in his tracks, then slowly turned to face Lulu. "Why is she taking it to Isaaru?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Hm." The corners of her mouth curled into a small smile. "It's none of our business, is it? That sounds like something you would say."  
  
Auron didn't feel like wasting any more time with this. He would be able to tell Tidus later. Now it was time for a hearty meal of Ronso Surprise. "Better than Roadkill Surprise, I suppose," he said to himself, chuckling quietly.  
  
****Meanwhile!****  
  
Tidus punched Wakka on the arm. "What are you two doing?"  
  
"Wakka's gonna teach me some blitzing moves!" Rikku bounced from one foot to the other in eager anticipation.  
  
"You two sure are getting along well," he added, causing Wakka to blush only slightly. "... but I thought you gave up blitzball to become a full- time guardian?"  
  
"Guy's gotta have some fun, ya?"  
  
"Come on, come on, come ON!!!"  
  
"Take dis!" Wakka gave a fast pass to Rikku, who froze in fright, letting the ball *CLONK* her on the head.  
  
"Owwch!!! That really hurt, you know," she said, staggering and trying to keep her balance.  
  
"Yeesh, take it easy, Wakka! She's only been playing for what, two minutes?"  
  
"Okay, okay... let's get back to da basics, ya?"  
  
"But I wanna learn tricks!"  
  
Tidus just laughed at the two. Alas, his laughter caught in his throat as he saw Yuna approaching Isaaru with...  
  
uh-oh... This is not good...  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Again, that was an odd way to end the chapter. It's getting weird. o_O  
  
Input is very much appreciated! And don't worry, Matt, it's gonna be Yunis soon enough.  
  
I've decided, Auron/Lulu matches probably don't work too well, cause neither of them are the type that would walk up to the other and say, "I love you." It just wouldn't work. Not to mention that Auron is MAH b****!!!  
  
REVIEW! Like, now! 


	8. Fine, I WILL!

Chapter 8! This is a BIG story! Err...  
  
Poisson d'avril! = -@  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Yuna stood at an angle behind Isaaru and his guardians, so as not to be seen. Folding her hands over her skirt, she said in a quiet voice, barely above a whisper, "...Isaaru?"  
  
He whipped around on the log. "Yuna!" His brown eyes twinkled and a genuine smile crossed his face, flashing his white teeth. "How long has it been?!?!"  
  
"I... I believe we met at Djose." She said, smiling and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
"Big brother, who's that?" Pacce piped.  
  
"Just a friend. Go help Maroda with dinner." He pat the log he was sitting on. "Please, Lady Yuna, sit!" As she timidly sat down next to him, his eyes never left hers. Even when her gaze turned to the crackling fire in front of them, he just couldn't pry away from those... gorgeous eyes. 'So exotic!' He thought. 'Perhaps now would be the time to...'  
  
"You came to me for something?"  
  
"Um..." Yuna faltered. Her hands fumbled with the letter, shaking with nervousness. 'Those soft, delicate contours...' Isaaru barely restrained himself from reaching out and stroking her smooth fingers. She folded the note open. "I was wondering if... if... um..."  
  
"Yes?" Isaaru leaned in towards her, trying to catch her gaze in his.  
  
Yuna shoved the note into his hands. "Didyouwritethis?!?!" she blurted out.  
  
Isaaru's eyes darted over the paper, at times pausing at one word to decipher its scribbled lettering.  
  
'As, gracefuly as the wind, you twirl around,  
  
I cant take my eyes off of you.  
  
Your hair is like Cinamin.  
  
Your eyes are like too little round discs, one green and one blue.  
  
That skirt you wer  
  
You know, the one with the flouers,  
  
It looks so prity on you.  
  
Your lips are like cherrys,  
  
Berning in the hot sun.  
  
I love how you danse.  
  
Those little fly thingies add to your splender.  
  
Your black bra is as black as a cro.  
  
Do you have cros in Spira?  
  
I love you with all my heart (sp?)  
  
I love you Yuna.  
  
This poim is a confeshin,  
  
Of my love from me to you,  
  
Yuna, my belovid.'  
  
When he was finished reading, he let out a hearty laugh and handed it back.  
  
"You think I wrote that?"  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Well, I can understand why somebody would write something like that..." he leaned in even closer to her face. His voice dropped low, so only she could hear. "Yuna..."  
  
Trembling, Yuna took back the letter and momentarily puzzled over it until she realized just what he had said. "Ex-excuse me?!" Looking up, her eyes widened in surprise when she noticed his face only inches from hers. She opened her mouth to protest, but Isaaru put a finger against her lips, silencing her.  
  
"Shhh..." he touched his forehead to hers and placed his hands on her arms, never letting go of her gaze, not for a moment. Yuna shrank back, unsure if she wanted to resist or willingly fall into his warm, comforting embrace.  
  
"Isaaru..." her pleading eyes searched his, looking for something she just couldn't put her finger on.  
  
Isaaru began to slowly wrap his arms around her waist, whispering softly, "Yuna... I..."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
That was a short chapter, yep yep. I just couldn't resist... 


	9. I can't

It's been awhile, but I'm getting back to writing. Yay!

Isaaru released Yuna's arms and combed his fingers through her hair, admiring her innocent, sweet face. Her lips parted and quivered, but no words of protest would come. 

He sighed. "You are indeed, without a doubt, the most dazzling and graceful summoner Spira has ever seen." With this, he embraced Yuna and leaned in. She turned her head, and a cold shiver ran down her spine as she felt his lips pressing against her cheek.

"Yuna, dinner!" Lulu called from the camp.

Yuna hastily broke away from Isaaru and stood up, her hands trembling as they dusted off her skirt. "Isaaru, I'm sorry, um, but……… um………"

He smiled at her. "You don't need to worry. We can talk later."

"But I—"

"Your guardians are waiting." Isaaru stood up and slowly started off towards the cooking pot Maroda and Pacce were staring intently at. "We will meet again, count on it!"

"Wait! I love you too………. But………" Yuna looked down at the ground, and blinked away a film of salty tears that had filled her eyelids. "I can't *love* you……… I, we………" With a sniffle, she turned and walked sadly back to camp.

* * * 

"And remember: Never ever look up at the ball. You'll get a hard smack in the face, ya?"

Rikku nodded and positioned the blitzball above her head. "Is this gonna hurt?"

"No worries. Just keep your back straight and keep thinking to yourself, 'up, up, up.' Takes some practice, ya?"

Clenching her teeth, Rikku finally dropped the ball onto her head, hitting at an angle. With a yelp, she collapsed onto the ground, and the blitzball rolled into a pile of leaves.

"Yevon, are you alright?!" Wakka dashed over to her side, looking into her eyes staring off into space. (Man, her eyes are pretty, ya? So unique……… can't quite put my finger on it………)

"Looka the shoopufs!" (Hehehe. He's so hot when he's worried. What am I thinking?!)

"I don't think you're quite ready for the Auroch Bounce, ya?"

"Wakka, Rikku, dinner!" Lulu's voice echoed from across the camp.

In a flash, Rikku was on her feet, as bouncy and carefree as ever despite her various painful encounters that day. "Race ya!" She chirped before dashing off through the woods.

"Wait up, ya?"

~*~

That was a long wait for a small update, but I need inspiration! Bah-ha-ha! I already have the Epilogue in my head, I just need to GET there………. So go read my other stuff to tide you over.


	10. It's time for Ronso Surprise! :D

Yay!  
  
* * *  
  
Even after Wakka and Rikku had wandered off on their own and long since forgotten him, Tidus just stood with his teeth clenched as he watched Isaaru take Yuna in his arms and kiss her. The chronic knot that so often terrorized his throat jumped up again, bringing not tears to his eyes, but a heart-wrenching glare; his very pupils were aflame with jealousy, anger, and sorrow. He sat down on a rock and buried his face in his hands, for he just could not bear to watch it any longer. Yuna loved Isaaru. Isaaru loved Yuna. There was no hope for Tidus. He continued to wallow and drown in his own self-pity, heedless of Lulu's repeated cries announcing dinner, and heedless of the red and black blur in the corner of his eye.  
  
Auron leaned against this tree, looking on pityingly at the boy and trying to think of something to say that would not just hurt him even more. With a sigh, he briefly closed his eye to reprimand himself silently. He had raised this boy for ten years, yet he was still just as clueless as ever how to react at times like this.  
  
After a long pause, Tidus looked up at him, and the two said in unison,  
  
"You saw, didn't you?"  
  
They both sighed and turned their eyes down.  
  
"I guess I'm just out of luck, huh?" Tidus said, drawing lazily in the dirt with a twig.  
  
"Not necessarily."  
  
Tidus whipped his head up to look him in the eye, a new spark of hope flitting across his expression.  
  
"Huh?!"  
  
Auron gave one of his trademark "humph"s and explained, in his concise manner:  
  
"I can only assume, since you were this far away from camp the entire time, that you did not see Yuna's eyes glaze over as she was kissed, nor could you see the pale shade of her face when she came over for dinner."  
  
"Wait, so you mean that. . . Yuna doesn't love Isaaru?"  
  
"She's reluctant," he said in that wise, omniscient tone. "Yuna is easy to read."  
  
"Why. . .? How?"  
  
Auron turned to leave. "You will understand in due course. Now it is time for dinner."  
  
The knot swelling in Tidus's throat melted away like hot butter. In a hurry he was on his feet, jogging to keep up with Auron's long stride.  
  
* * *  
  
"Yuna, you don't look like you're feeling so well," Lulu said. She reached over her bowl of Ronso Surprise and touched her cheek with the back of her hand.  
  
"I'm just. . . a little faint. . . from all the fighting, you know?"  
  
Indeed, Lulu DID know. She, too, had watched the entire episode with Isaaru.  
  
"We should turn in early tonight." She paused and waited for Auron to object. Something along the lines of, "We have rested enough," but when he continued to eat silently, she remembered that he, too, knew exactly what was going on.  
  
Yuna stuttered, "We can do that, if Sir Auron doesn't object."  
  
Rikku had been listening in on their conversation, worried about her cousin Yunie. She leaned over and whispered to the two of them, "I think he's a little pooped too," raising a quiet giggle from Yuna and putting a small smile on Lulu's face.  
  
This attracted the attention of Tidus and Wakka, who were talking about the "sand-blasted grease monkeys" of Luca's blitzball team, namely, Bickson.  
  
"H-hey! What's so funny?!"  
  
"It's a girl thing, ya?"  
  
Rikku giggled and waved at the two. "What're you two ogling at?"  
  
Wakka, though somewhat tempted to say, "You, ya," decided to change the subject.  
  
"So who's got dish duty tonight? Kimahri, do you have the list?"  
  
"Kimahri have list. Tidus clean."  
  
"Oh, that's tough brudda. Well, have fun!" Wakka said cheerfully as he scooched closer to Rikku.  
  
"Hey, what're you trying to pull off? This is MY Ronso Surprise!!!"  
  
"Not ALL of us are thieves, ya?"  
  
Rikku giggled. "I'm just playin' with ya. You can have some of mine."  
  
Wakka patted his stomach. "No, I'm full. Thanks for the offer, ya?"  
  
Tidus, who was scrubbing the pot that was used to cook dinner, added, "Wakka's already had about 7 bowls of that stuff."  
  
"Hey!" Wakka shook a fist at him. "I got high metabolism, ya?"  
  
He turned his attention back to Rikku. "Tidus. Always the troublemaker, ya? So where are you from? You don't look like you would live in Guadosalam."  
  
Rikku's gleeful smile faded. 'If I tell him I'm an Al Bhed, he'd probably have a fit, much less if he knew I was the daughter of our leader. Then again, if I don't tell him, he'd likely find out sooner or later. . . but if I DO tell him. . . ah, to hell with it.'  
  
She grinned, back to her normal self, and chirped, "Kilika!"  
  
Wakka was too. . . twitterpated, shall we say, to care much about why a girl like Rikku would be hanging out near Guadosalam if she lived in Kilika, and replied, "A survivor? You're one tough girl, ya?"  
  
"I guess. So how old are you?"  
  
"I'm 24, ya?"  
  
"I'm 15, and I'll be 16 next week."  
  
"Wow, I thought you were 17! Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho, I was a little off, ya?"  
  
~* ~* ~  
  
An abrupt ending, sorreeee. 


End file.
